Mechanical and electrical disconnect

ABSTRACT

A high intensity gaseous discharge luminaire has a selfcontained power connection. A supporting assembly has a tubular wire guide portion with a slide insert mounted on it. The luminaire housing enclosure has a slide insert track along a top and one side wall. The luminaire housing is movable from a disengaged, open position to an engaged, closed position defined by union of the housing and slide insert. The luminaire housing and slide insert each have electrical quick connects positioned to interlock in the closed position. When so interlocked, the tubular wire guide and slide insert support the entire weight of the luminaire housing.

United States Patent [191 Garnett [111 3,739,319 June 12, 1973MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL DISCONNECT [75] Inventor: Willard R. Garnett,Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo.

[73] Assignee: Emerson Electric Co., St. Louis, Mo.

[22] Filed: Apr. 14, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 133,962

Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn Att0mey-Polster & Polster [57]ABSTRACT A high intensity gaseous discharge luminaire has aselfcontained power connection. A supporting assembly has a tubular wireguide portion with a slide insert mounted on it. The luminaire housingenclosure has a slide insert track along a top and one side wall. Theluminaire housing is movable from a disengaged, open position to anengaged, closed position defined by union of the housing and slideinsert. The luminaire housing and slide insert each have electricalquick connects positioned to interlock in the closed position. When sointerlocked, the tubular wire guide and slide insert support the entireweight of the luminaire housmg.

6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure Patented June 12, 1973 3,739,319

INVENTOI? I W/LLQRD Q. @QRAJETT ATTORNEYS MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICALDISCONNECT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toconnection techniques and in particular to luminaires and their powerconnections. While the invention is described in detail hereinafter withspecific application in a high intensity discharge luminaire, thoseskilled in the art will recognize the wide applicability of my inventionto other luminaire structures.

High intensity discharge luminaires, as generally utilized in industrialapplications, commonly are supported and connected to an electricalenergy source by devices conventionally known in the art as power hooks.Commercial power hooks are cast iron devices which thread on a conduit.The conduit is suspended from the ceiling in use. The deviceincorporates an actual hook configuration, which, as the name implies,hooks onto and supports the lighting fixture. The body of the power hookalso contains the female receptacle where the fixture is electricallyjoined to a power source by means of a male plug.

While these prior art power hooks work well for their intended purposes,they possess several inherent disadvantages. High intensity dischargeluminaires include not only the bulb proper and any associatedreflector, but a housing containing the required ballasting or startingcircuit necessitated by the peculiarities of high intensity dischargelamp operation. Use of present art power hooks adds approximately eightinches to the overallluminaire height. Fixture height is important inmany applications. For example, reducing the space required byluminaires in a factory crane bay will increase the clear vertical spaceabove the crane. In new construction, this clearance increase enablesdesign of reduced crane bay area heights. In factory remodeling orupdating, clearance increase may allow installation of crane equipmenttheretofore unfeasible because of the restricted crane bay area height.

Fixture maintenance also plagues prior art installations. Commonpractice and practicality require removal of the luminaire whenever workon the ballasting components is necessary. Industrial luminaires arerelatively large, heavy and bulky, being approximately two feet in axialheight. Prior art power hooks do not lend themselves to easy fixtureremoval, as the fixture must be maneuvered to disengage it. In addition,the external plug and receptacle power connect commonly are of a safetytype which is held in position by a rotating lock ring carried about theplug. The lock ring tightens onto the receptacle. The lock feature isexposed to the luminaire environment and has a tendency to deteriorateand freeze in the locked position under certain environmentalconditions. In these situations, exemplified by common industrialprocesses where the luminaire is surrounded by dirty, oily or chemicallysaturated air, fixture removal nearly becomes impossible without cuttingthe power cord between the plug and light housing. Such procedure, inturn, greatly increases maintenance time and cost. My invention reducesthe effect of these factors in an embodiment that is substantially lowerin cost, of both the manufacturing and installation varieties, thanconventional power hooks.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a luminaire and powersource combination having a reduced overall axial height.

Another object of this invention is to provide a luminaire havinginternal electrical connections to a power source.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a luminaire that isremoved and disconnected easily from an associated power source.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a low cost highintensity gaseous discharge luminaire.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in lightof the following description and accompanying drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, generallystated, a novel luminaire is presented having quick disconnect meansbetween the luminaire and its associated power source.

In the preferred embodiment, the luminaire housing encloses a startingcircuit for a high intensity discharge lamp and has a slide insert trackin it. A supporting assembly includes a tubular wire guide and a slideinsert. The supporting assembly assumes the weight of the luminaire oncethe slide insert is placed in the slide insert track. The luminairehousing and slide insert have interlocking electrical connections whichmate as the slide insert reaches the end of the slide insert track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is an exploded view inperspective, partly broken away, of the supporting assembly andluminaire housing of the preferred embodiment of disconnect of thisinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, referencenumeral 1 indicates a supporting assembly, including a tubular wireguide 2 and a slide insert 3. Wire guide 2 is acylindrical tube having alongitudinal opening 4 therethrough. A free end 5 of wire guide 2 isthreaded and a second end (not shown) is adapted'to be ceiling mounted.Wire guide 2 may be constructed from any suitable material. Common steelpipe conduit works well.

Slide insert 3 is L-shaped. A long leg-6 of insert 3 has a top surface7, a bottom surface 8, side edges 9 and 10 and a leading edge 11. Ashort leg 12 of slide 3 has a front 13 and a back 14. Leg 12 has anaccess opening 15 from and through front 13 and back 14. A cover plate16 closes opening 15 in normal operation and is removably mounted tofront 13 by any convenient method. In'the embodiment illustrated, plate16 carries nameplate data. However, it also allows easy visualinspection of the internal electrical connections of my invention.

Leg 6 has an opening 17 in it, from andthrough surfaces 7 and 8. Opening17 is threaded for intermounting slide 3 on end 5 of wire guide 2.

Each edge 9 and 10 of slide 3 has a rabbet 18- cut in it along a portionof the axial length of leg 6.'Rabbet 18 is important as it serves as alead-in for slide 3. It provides mounting ease for the luminaire andengages supporting assembly 1 to assume luminaire weight early in themounting procedure, as explained fully hereinafter. However, other meansfor removably mounting the two parts are satisfactory, for example, ahinge and clasp between assembly 1 and the luminaire.

A bracket 19 is mounted to surface 8 near leading edge 11 by anyconvenient method. While bracket 19 is fabricated separately in theembodiment illustrated, it may be formed integrally with slide 3 ifdesired. Bracket 19 has an opening in it (not shown), adapted to receivea connector 20. Connector 20 is a conventional female electricalreceptacle connector electrically connected to a source of electricalenergy not shown by conventional wiring. Connector 20 may be wired byfeeding the wire through opening 4 in wire guide 2.

A luminaire housing 21 includes a top section 22 and a bottom section23. Bottom section 23 is conventional and may assume a variety of designshapes. The embodiment shown has side walls 24, 25, 26, 27, a bottomwall 28 and an open top. The walls are arranged in the form of afrustrum. Bottom wall 28 has a plurality of cast legs 29 to which areflector 30 may be mounted. A lamp socket 31 houses a lamp holder 32.Lamp holder 32 is conventional. It holds and electrically connects ahigh intensity discharge lamp not shown to the lamp electrical startingcircuit and insulates housing 31 from harmful electrical charge.

Top section 22 likewise is frustrum shaped, having sides 34, 35, 36, 37,a top 38, and an open bottom. In use, top 22 and bottom 23 areinterconnected by common screws through a plurality of connection points39 positioned along the sides of luminaire housing 21. Otherconventional attaching means are acceptable. When so interconnected, top22 and bottom 23 delimit an internal chamber 33. Chamber 33 houses someof the ballast components utilized in starting the lamp.

The embodiment shown has a plurality of cooling fins 40 in sides 35 and37. Fins aid in removing heat generated in the ballast circuit duringlamp operation. Top 22 preferably is provided with a fuse holder surface41 along side 36. Surface 41 is adapted to receive a conventional fuseholder and fuse (not shown) and electrical connections to place thatfuse in the lamp electrical circuit.

Top 38 and side 34 have a continuous opening 42 in them, the outline ofwhich conforms to the silhouette of slide 3. Opening 42 has edges 43, 44and a stop 45 in top wall 38; and edges 46, 47, and 48 in side walls 34.

A bracket 49 is mounted to a lower surface 50 of top wall 38, preferablynear fuse holder surface 41, by any convenient method. Bracket 49 has amale electrical connector 51 mounted on it. Connector 51 is electricallyconnected to the lamp starting circuit and is fused when a fuse holderand fuse are electrically connected to the lamp electrical circuit.

Edges 43 and 44 are adapted to ride atop rabbet 18 as slide 3 isinserted in opening 42. When so inserted, the entire weight of luminairehousing 21 is borne by supporting assembly 1.

Opening 42 and slide 3 are arranged so that slide 3 completely enclosesopening 22 in the closed, inserted position of the slide. As slide 3approaches that position, edge 11 rides up on stop 45, resulting inseveral advantages. First, stop 45 defines the end of lateral movementbetween housing 21 and slide 3. Second, it positions edge 11 correctly,so that connectors 51 and 20 mate properly.

Simple operation is provided. Wire guide 2 is installed in the course ofbuilding construction or renovation. Slide assembly 3 and luminairehousing 21 are packaged as an integral unit. Thereafter, slide assembly3 is removed and mounted on wire guide 2. Electrical connections aremade to connector 20. Once completed, support assembly 1 is prepared toreceive luminaire housing 21. Housing 21 slides along rabbet 18 in afree friction fit and connectors 20 and 51 mate as slide 3 and housing21 are joined. No external electrical connections are necessary and theconnections provided are protected by the lamp housing.

When lamp maintenance requires, housing 21 simply is slid from slide 3,automatically disconnecting the lamp circuit. Housing 21 may be replacedafter maintenance or a second compatible housing 21 may be installedimmediately. The latter is the preferred course where extensive repairsare contemplated, or where periodic maintenance involves a number ofluminaires in the installation area.

Numerous variations within the scope of the appended claims will occurto those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description andaccompanying drawing. Thus, luminaire housing 21 may be varied aes-'thetically. Various materials may be used for supporting assembly 1 orluminaire housing 21. While I prefer a cast aluminum luminaire housingbecause of its light weight and heat dissipation characteristics, othermaterials or metals are satisfactory. Mounting means between assembly 1and fixture 21 may vary. For example, insert 3 may be a flat assemblywhich enters a slot in top 38 of section 22 without utilizing either anL- shape design or a rabbet edge. Likewise, wire guide 2 and insert 3may be integrally constructed, if desired. The axial height of wireguide 2 may vary or certain applications may eliminate the guideentirely. For example, insert 3 may be attached directly to electricalraceways along a ceiling, thereby attaining minimum luminaire height.Insert 3 may be provided with safety means for fixing it to housing 21.Thus, a threaded hole in leg 6 may be utilized to receive a screw notshown. The screw may tighten directly into a corresponding hole in topsection 22 or it may be provided with a wing tip that locks onto thatsection. These variations are merely illustrative.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A luminaire comprising: a housing defining a chamber, said housingincluding a top wall and four side walls, said top wall and one of saidside walls having a continuous opening in them to said chamber, saidopening having at least one edge defining a stop, said housing having aplurality of fins formed on an outer surface thereof; a first electricalconnector mounted to said housing,

in said chamber; removable part adapted for closing said opening, saidremovable part being L-shaped in side elevation, having at least onerabbetted edge, said removable part substantially conforming to thecontours'of an outer surface of said top wall and one of said sidewalls; and second electrical connector mounted to said removable part,adapted to interconnect with said first electrical connector wheneversaid removable part closes said opening, said stop limiting move ment ina first direction between said movable part and said housing. 2. Theluminaire of claim 1 wherein said four side walls form first and secondpairs of oppositely opposed walls, a first pair of said side wallshaving said fins formed on them, a second pair of said side including afirst wall having a part of said opening formed in it and a second wallhaving a fuse holder formed on it, said fuse holder being electricallyconnected to said first electrical connection.

3. The luminaire of claim 2 wherein said housing includes a bottom wall,said bottom wall having a light reflector mounted to it and extendingdownwardly therefrom.

4. In an electrical fixture adapted for use with a mercury arc lampincluding a reflector surrounding said lamp and an upper housing havinga top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall, said reflector extendingdownwardly from said bottom wall, the improvement comprising a removablepart insertable in said top wall and forming a part thereof, saidinsertable part having a rabbetted edge which supports said housing whensaid removable part is inserted in said housing, said removable partbeing flush fitting with said housing so as to conform to the silhouetteof said housing when said removable part is inserted in said housing, afirst electrical connecting part carried by said upper housing and asecond electrical connecting part carried by said removable part adaptedfor electrical interconnection with said first electrical connectingpart whenever said removable part forms a part of said top wall.

5. A luminaire comprising:

a housing, said housing including a first and a second part which definea chamber when joined, said first part including a top wall and a sidewall, said housing having an opening in it at least along said top wall;

a first electrical connector mounted to said housing within saidchamber;

a removable part insertable in said top wall opening, said removablepart having an edge which supports said housing, permitting said housingto depend therefrom, said removable part being flush fitting with saidhousing so as to conform to the silhouette of said housing when saidremovable part is inserted into said top wall opening; and

a second electrical connector mounted on said removable part adapted forelectrical interconnection with said first electrical connector wheneversaid removable part is flush fitting with said housmg.

6. The luminaire of claim 5 wherein said side wall of said first parthas a plurality of cooling fins formed in

1. A luminaire comprising: a housing defining a chamber, said housingincluding a top wall and four side walls, said top wall and one of saidside walls having a continuous opening in them to said chamber, saidopening having at least one edge defining a stop, said housing having aplurality of fins formed on an outer surface thereof; a first electricalconnector mounted to said housing, in said chamber; a removable partadapted for closing said opening, said removable part being L-shaped inside elevation, having at least one rabbetted edge, said removable partsubstantially conforming to the contours of an outer surface of said topwall and one of said side walls; and a second electrical connectormounted to said removable part, adapted to interconnect with said firstelectrical connector whenever said removable part closes said opening,said stop limiting movement in a first direction between said movablepart and said housing.
 2. The luminaire of claim 1 wherein said fourside walls form first and second pairs of oppositely opposed walls, afirst pair of said side walls having said fins formed on them, a secondpair of said side including a first wall having a part of said openingformed in it and a second wall having a fuse holder formed on it, saidfuse holder being electrically connected to said first electricalconnection.
 3. The luminaire of claim 2 wherein said housing includes abottom wall, said bottom wall having a light reflector mounted to it andextending downwardly therefrom.
 4. In an electrical fixture adapted foruse with a mercury arc lamp including a reflector surrounding said lampand an upper housing having a top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall,said reflector extending downwardly from said bottom wall, theimprovement comprising a removable part insertable in said top wall andforming a part thereof, said insertable part having a rabbetted edgewhich supports said housing when said removable part is inserted in saidhousing, said removable part being flush fitting with said housing so asto conform to the silhouette of said housing when said removable part isinserted in said housing, a first electrical connecting part carried bysaid upper housing and a second electrical connecting part carried bysaid removable part adapted for electrical interconnection with saidfirst electrical connecting part whenever said removable part forms apart of said top wall.
 5. A luminaire comprising: a housing, saidhousing including a first and a second part which define a chamber whenjoined, said first part including a top wall and a side wall, saidhousing having an opening in it at least along said top wall; a firstelectrical connector mounted to said housing within said chamber; aremovable part insertable in said top wall opening, said removable parthaving an edge which supports said housing, permitting said housing todepend therefrom, said removable part being flush fitting with saidhousing so as to conform to the silhouette of said housing when saidremovable part is inserted into said top wall opening; and a secondelectrical connector mounted on said removable part adapted forelectrical interconnection with said first electrical connector wheneversaid removable part is flush fitting with said housing.
 6. The luminaireof claim 5 wherein said side wall of said first part has a plurality ofcooling fins formed in it.